The Iranian Red Crescent Society released video showing rescuers in Tehran lowering a man strapped to a stretcher from the wreckage of a building severely damaged in an airstrike.
Published On 27 Mar 202627 Mar 2026
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HOUSTON — Mike Trout homered to launch what he hopes will be a bounce-back year, leading the Angels to a season-opening 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday.
Trout also walked three times and played center field for the first time since April 2024. The three-time MVP played 130 games last season, his most since 2019 because of various injuries.
Making his franchise-record 14th opening day start, the 34-year-old Trout broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning when he sent a 96 mph fastball from reliever AJ Blubaugh (0-1) 403 feet onto the train tracks in left center. It was his fifth opening day homer, also a club record.
The Angels snapped an eight-game road losing streak in season openers, starting 1-0 on the road for the first time since 2013.
Oswald Peraza hit an RBI single in the eighth and Nolan Schanuel homered in the ninth.
José Soriano (1-0) allowed two hits and four walks in six innings while striking out seven. Four relievers completed the three-hitter, with Jordan Romano working the ninth to earn the save in his Angels debut.
Hunter Brown started for Houston and allowed four hits and four walks in 4⅔ innings. He struck out nine.
The Astros went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine runners.
Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez may have been robbed of a home run in the first inning because the retractable roof at Daikin Park was closed. Alvarez hit a towering shot toward the right-field foul pole, but it ricocheted off a horizontal rafter and landed in foul territory.
It was ruled a foul ball. The Astros challenged, and the call was upheld after a review. Alvarez later struck out swinging.
Up next: The teams resume the four-game series on Friday, with lefty Yusei Kikuchi starting for the Angels opposite right-hander Mike Burrows.
Oil prices are expected to remain high because of uncertainty over the war on Iran, according to analyst Muyu Xu.
She warns prices could reach as high as $120 if tensions escalate and disrupt key supply routes, with countries holding limited reserves likely to feel the impact the most.
Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026
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THE creator of the 90s hit movie Air Bud has died aged 63 after a tragic fall from Hollywood stardom.
Kevin DiCicco’s death comes a year after he revealed he was homeless and battling health issues.
His sad passing on Saturday March 21 was confirmed by his brother Mark to TMZ.
Kevin was credited as a creator of the beloved 90s film Air Bud, about a lonely boy who befriends a stray dog who has a natural talent for basketball.
Together they experience the highs and lows of life as their friendship remains solid through a series of escapades.
Kevin had found Buddy the dog as a stray, transforming him into a star.
The duo originally found fame on America’s Funniest Home Videos before making a memorable appearance on David Letterman.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.
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Since he became head coach at Birmingham in 2007, Matt Mowry is 0 for 18 when it comes to winning a West Valley League baseball title. He’s won five City titles but the Patriots haven’t been able to figure out how to win a league title.
A showdown against defending City champion El Camino Real on Tuesday didn’t start or end well for the Patriots. The Royals (10-3, 4-0) scored five runs in the first inning on six hits and coasted to an 8-3 win over Birmingham (10-2, 3-1).
The big hits in the first inning were an RBI double by JJ Saffie, a two-run double by Blake Dubin and an RBI single by Ryan Hauptman. For the second consecutive game, Birmingham pitcher Nathan Soto couldn’t make it out of the first inning. ECR starter Jackson Sellz, celebrating his 17th birthday, threw six innings before Hauptman came in to get the save. Ryan Glassman, Macai Friedman and Shane Bogacz each had two hits.
Birmingham is getting help starting Friday when transfers Masen Ruiz (Chatsworth), Toni Mendoza (Chatsworth) and Larkin Fleming (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame) become eligible. All could become starters. The two teams play again twice next month.
Fullerton 7, Ocean View 5: Luke Gonzalez had two doubles to help Fullerton come back from a 5-3 deficit.
Los Alamitos 4, Marina 0: Ryan Deck struck out seven, walked none and gave up two hits in the shutout. Cruz Derrico finished with three hits.
St. Bernard 5, Bishop Amat 4: Juan Sandoval struck out five in a complete game for St. Bernard.
Newport Beach 9, Edison 0: Gavin Guy struck out six in 5 1/3 innings and also hit a three-run home run.
Santa Margarita 2, Servite 0: Sophomore Tyler George struck out four, walked none and threw a two-hit shutout. He also hit a home run.
Santa Monica 10, Leuzinger 1: Ryan Breslo had three hits for Santa Monica.
Oaks Christian 5, Newbury Park 2: Luke Puls, Ryan Sheffer and Oliver Dauskurdas each had two hits for Oaks Christian (9-2).
Calabasas 10, Thousand Oaks 9: The Coyotes handed Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 10 consecutive victories in a wild Marmonte League opener. The Lancers wiped out an 8-1 deficit with seven runs in the fifth inning to tie the score. Conner Kingston ended the game with a scoreless seventh for the save. Landon Carson had four RBIs for the Lancers. Michael Morales had three hits for the Coyotes.
Westlake 2, Agoura 1: Jaxson Neckien had two hits for the Warriors.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Crespi 0: Malakye Matsumoto hit a grand slam and threw two scoreless innings of relief for 11-0 Notre Dame. Beckett Berg threw five scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Sierra Canyon 8, Chaminade 2: Isaias Tirado and Aiden Jahng each hit home runs and Armando Solorio threw four shutout innings.
St. Francis 6, Bishop Alemany 4: Daniel Izaguirre had three hits for St. Francis in the Mission League win. Brody Thompson, Chase Stevenson and Alex Noble hit home runs for Alemany.
La Mirada 5, Gahr 1: Jacob Oropeza threw 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
El Modena 3, Villa Park 0: Three pitchers combined on a no-hitter.
Huntington Beach 17, Fountain Valley 0: Bree Carlson hit three home runs for the Oilers.
Murrieta Mesa 7, Great Oak 0: Lilly Hauser struck out 13 and also had a two-run double to lead unbeaten Murrieta Mesa.
Oaks Christian 9, Newbury Park 3: Giabella Otani had two hits and three RBIs.
ANGELINA Jolie’s renowned songwriter uncle, Chip Taylor, who penned the 1966 song Wild Thing has died aged 86.
The tragic news was announced by friend and Grammy winning producer Billy Vera in a post to social media.
Vera wrote on Instagram: “‘RIP: Chip Taylor, my friend and songwriting mentor, last night in hospice.”
He added: “With great sadness I announce the passing of my old friend and songwriting mentor, Chip Taylor last night in hospice.
“He and I wrote some good ones: “Make Me Belong To You,” (Barbara Lewis), “Storybook Children” (BV & Judy Clay, Nancy Sinatra): “Papa Come Quick (Bonnie Raitt).”
It is understood that Chip passed away peacefully two days after his 86th birthday.
Chip was brother to Angelina Jolie‘s dad, Jon Voight, and uncle to the actress’s sibling, James Haven.
He was known for writing several well-loved songs including the 1960s Merrilee Rush song, Angel of the Morning.
Tributes have begun flooding in for the legendary songwriter.
Musician Allan Jones took to social media to pay tribute, writing: “RIP Chip Taylor, who’s just died at 86. Among many other songs, he wrote Wild Thing, Angel of the Morning, and Anyway That You Want Me.
“He played Twickenham Exchange a few years ago, accompanied by John Platiana, for many years Van Morrison’s guitarist.
“It was memorable not only for a lot of great songs, but Taylor’s vast repertoire of extraordinary and hilarious anecdotes, which took up a generous portion of an unforgettable set.
“The man could certainly tell a story as well as he could write a song.”
Born James Wesley Voight, Chip wrote many pop and rock songs, both alone and with other songwriters.
Some of his most notable works include He Sits at Your Table with Willie Nelson and I Can’t Let Go with Evie Sands, the Hollies and Linda Ronstadt.
In addition to being a songwriter Chip had a background as a performer, putting out a number of albums in the 1970s.
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016 for his decades of contributions to the music industry.
In 2007 he launched his own independent label, Train Wreck Records.
Chip famously had a passion for gambling, particularly blackjack, which he was reportedly very good at.
He was married to Joan Carole Frey from 1964, and the couple had both children and grandchildren together. Joan sadly died in June 2025.
Corona baseball is receiving some competition in Big VIII League play this season. Norco is supposed to be the Panthers’ primary competition, but it was Corona Santiago handing the Panthers their first defeat Monday.
Troy Randall had three hits and threw three innings of scoreless relief in a 6-2 home victory. The teams play again Wednesday at Corona, with ace Striker Pence on the mound for Santiago.
Santiago (10-2) took advantage of rare wildness by Corona starting pitcher Mason Sims, who walked four in two innings. Randall and starting pitcher Ben Lewis held Corona’s top four batters hitless with eight strikeouts.
Cleveland 6, Chatsworth 2: The Cavaliers continued their march toward third place in the West Valley League. Max Salazar had three hits. Joshua Pearlstein threw a complete game with five strikeouts.
Taft 9, Granada Hills 7: The Toreadors scored three runs in the ninth inning for a West Valley League win. Nathan Swinson had a home run and Julian Antolin recorded three hits and three RBIs. Max Szczech had four hits, including a home run, for Granada Hills.
Garfield 10, Huntington Park 0: Omar Martinez had two hits and two RBIs and Michael Agredano struck out six in 3⅔ innings for Garfield.
South Hills 4, San Dimas 1: Marc Morales threw three scoreless innings of relief for South Hills.
Loyola 12, Paramount 2: Jack Murray contributed three hits for the Cubs.
Etiwanda 19, Los Osos 5: Angel Mejia finished with three hits and seven RBIs, including a grand slam.
Strikes on gas sites in the Iran war are driving up energy costs, pushing up prices for power, food and more worldwide.
Strikes on gas sites are now part of the US-Israel war with Iran. But its effect will echo far beyond the Gulf, hitting power, food, and prices worldwide. As gas supply shrinks and costs rise, who will feel it most, and how far could the shock spread?
In this episode:
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé, Tamara Khandaker, Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili. Alex Roldan is our sound designer.
The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Catherine Nouhan, Alex Roldan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.
Our editorial intern is Tuleen Barakat. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Connect with us:
Published On 23 Mar 202623 Mar 2026
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AN ICONIC noughties star looked unrecognisable to many as he took to the stage during this weekend’s Estero Picnic Festival in Columbia.
Over two decades since his initial rise to fame, the now 52-year-old musician looks a far cry from the twenty-something many fans remember.
Do you recognise him?
The singer in question in Travis frontman Fran Healy!
Known for hits such as Why Does It Always Rain On Me? and Sing, Travis dominated the music scene in the late nineties and early noughties.
Lead singer Fran has swapped the bright red hair he rocked a few years ago for a bleached look, donning a sky blue jumper as he joined numerous stars in fronting the Columbian festival this weekend.
Alongside his Travis bandmates, Dougie Payne, Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose, Fran took to the festival’s Smirnoff stage to perform to the waiting crowds on Sunday.
The three-day festival also saw Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler The Creator, Swedish House Mafia and The Killers perform.
Alongside their own set on Sunday, Travis joined The Killers on stage to perform with them on Saturday.
Born in Stafford, Fran was raised in Glasgow and formed Travis back in 1991 while studying at the Glasgow School of Art.
Still going strong, the band are performing across Chile this month and next, with gigs in Viña del Mar, Frutillar and Santiago.
While the band have taken breaks throughout their lengthy career, they are famous for having never split up.
Their tenth studio album, L.A Times, was released in 2024.
Fran was in a relationship with German photographer Nora Kryst for 23 years before splitting back in 2019.
They share a 20-year-old son named Clay.
Last year, during one of Travis’ US gigs, Fran was rushed off stage and to the hospital after twisting his ankle on stage.
At the time, Fran took to Instagram to explain that he was wheeled out on a gurney and put into an ambulance.
Admitting that he thought he’d broken his ankle, the musician confirmed it was simply a “gnarly sprain”.
US-Israel attacks on Iran continue as Israeli forces blow up the Qasimiyah Bridge in south Lebanon.
Published On 23 Mar 202623 Mar 2026
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Visitors explore themed zones at the “Cookie Run in Lotte World Aquarium: Ocean Adventure” exhibition in Seoul. Photo by Asia Today
March 19 (Asia Today) — South Korean game companies are increasingly taking popular intellectual property beyond screens, launching immersive offline experiences to deepen engagement and diversify revenue.
The shift reflects efforts to reduce the industry’s reliance on new game releases, which can drive sharp swings in earnings. By combining well-known titles with venues such as aquariums and theme parks, companies aim to boost profitability while strengthening brand loyalty.
Experiential offerings typically include photo zones, merchandise sales and live events, creating both direct revenue and indirect benefits by encouraging players to return to games. Industry officials say the approach also opens the door to expansion into animation, performances and theme parks.
Devsisters will host “Cookie Run in Lotte World Aquarium: Ocean Adventure” from Thursday through June 7, transforming multiple floors of the aquarium into nine themed zones. The event blends eight signature Cookie Run characters with marine life, offering visitors an interactive storyline.
The exhibition also introduces an augmented reality stamp tour, allowing visitors to play mini-games on their smartphones and receive rewards such as character voice messages. Merchandise tied to the franchise will be sold on-site.
The company plans additional tie-ins, including a collaborative program at the “Sky Run,” a 123-floor vertical marathon at Lotte World Tower on April 19.
Nexon is pursuing a similar strategy with “MapleStory in Lotte World,” running through June 14 in Seoul’s Songpa district. The event features a themed “Maple Island” zone, along with recreations of in-game locations such as Henesys and Arcana.
Visitors can import or customize their in-game characters at dedicated experience zones. The event also includes retro gaming areas and themed products such as a “Red Potion” drink inspired by in-game items.
Other major firms are following suit. Krafton has operated pop-up stores based on “PUBG: Battlegrounds,” while Netmarble has hosted events featuring its “Kungya Restaurants” franchise.
“As pop-up stores, exhibitions and collaborations expand, game-based cultural content will become more diverse,” an industry official said.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260319010005893
Harvard-Westlake doesn’t drop too many series in baseball these days, but if there’s one coach who gives the Wolverines fits, it’s Randy Thompson of Bishop Alemany. The reminder happened years ago when Harvard-Westlake had three future first-round draft picks on the same team in Max Fried, Lucas Giolito and Jack Flaherty, and Alemany defeated that powerful Wolverines team with Giolito on the mound.
On Friday, Alemany (8-3, 4-1 Mission League) completed a week in which it took two of three games from the Wolverines with a 10-4 victory. Apparently success against Harvard-Westlake isn’t just limited to the head coach. Thompson’s son, Brody, hit two home runs and a double and finished with three RBIs. Also hitting two home runs was Chase Stevenson, who had three hits and two RBIs.
Alemany had 16 hits on the day.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 5, Chaminade 4: The Knights (10-0) stayed unbeaten, with Dru Wilson’s RBI single in the sixth breaking a 4-4 tie. Malakye Matsumoto had three hits and three RBIs, including a home run. Lachlan Clark threw four innings of scoreless relief with seven strikeouts and no walks. Andrew Chute had a home run and three RBIs for Chaminade.
Loyola 5, St. Francis 4: Freshman Anthony Adame closed out the win with two innings of stellar relief and three strikeouts in the eight-inning contest. Austin Junk drove in the winning run with a double.
Sierra Canyon 19, Crespi 2: Charlie Cummings had two doubles, a single and three RBIs for Sierra Canyon.
Royal 6, Simi Valley 2: Dustin Dunwoody struck out 16 in six innings for Royal.
Hart 15, Valencia 14: The Hawks survived a four-run rally by Valencia in the seventh to win a wild Foothill League game. Justin Gaisford had a home run and five RBIs for Valencia. Hart received four hits and three RBIs for Matix Frithsmith. Josh Whitson had three hits and four RBIs and Hayden Rhodes hit a three-run home run. The two teams combined for 49 runs and 11 errors in two games. Another game ended in a 10-10 tie.
El Camino Real 6, Chatsworth 3: RJ De La Rosa and Jackson Sellz each had two RBIs to help El Camino Real stay unbeaten in the West Valley League.
Birmingham 8, Granada Hills 2: Carlos Acuna struck out five in six innings, Aidan Martinez struck out three in one inning of relief and Julius Monroe-Truitt had three RBIs for Birmingham.
Cleveland 3, Taft 2: Ezra Preis had two hits and two RBIs for the Cavaliers.
Bell 17, Huntington Park 1: Daniel Garcia had two triples and three RBIs for 12-1 Bell.
Carson 6, Banning 4: The Colts took control of the Marine League race this week. Skylar Vinson had two hits.
St. John Bosco 13, JSerra 0: For the fifth time in seven games, St. John Bosco (7-0), ranked No. 1 by The Times, recorded a shutout. Jack Champlin started and gave up one hit in five innings. Jhett Ohira had three hits and three RBIs. Ohira was seven for 12 in the Braves’ three-game sweep of JSerra.
Corona del Mar 8, Newport Harbor 1: Stevie Jones gave up one run in 6⅔ innings and Ryan Williams and Grant Horsley each had two hits.
La Canada 6, San Marino 0: Joe Bell threw a five-hit shutout and had two hits and three RBIs.
El Dorado 4, Villa Park 2: Brady Abner had the tying triple and Xavi Cadena hit the winning home run.
Corona 19, King 7: Anthony Murphy had a home run, a double and two singles. He also struck out three batters in his one inning of relief. Trey Ebel added two hits and three RBIs.
Norco 7, Corona Centennial 4: Dylan Seward and Jordan Ayala hit home runs for Norco.
Corona Santiago 9, Eastvale Roosevelt 1: Striker Pence hit a two-run home run and Joshua Angulo had two hits and three RBIs for Santiago. Ayden White threw three innings of hitless relief.
Redondo Union 6, Mira Costa 2: Robby Zimmerman struck out eight in 5⅔ innings.
Cypress 7, Mater Dei 5: Austin Gerken hit a three-run home run for Mater Dei, but Drew Slevcove got the save for Cypress.
Los Alamitos 6, Edison 5: A two-run double by Willie Adams keyed the comeback win.
Bishop Amat 7, St. Paul 0: Ashton Chavez, Kevin Martin and Izaac Muniz combined on the shutout. Omar Arretche had three hits for Bishop Amat.
Norco 14, Corona Centennial 0: Leighton Gray hit two home runs for Norco.
Perhaps Chaminade’s softball team should no longer be considered a surprise for its 7-0 start overall and 1-0 mark in the Mission League.
Its 7-6 win over defending Mission League champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Thursday featured a five-run seventh inning that should get everyone’s attention. Notre Dame went 8-0 in league play last season. Casey Glantz hit a two-run go-ahead home run.
Chaminade has featured sophomore pitcher Finley Suppan, the daughter of former major leaguer Jeff Supan. She’s 6-0 with a 1.15 ERA. She had a strikeout to end the game. The Eagles are flourishing under coach Cory Skinner.
Garden Grove Pacifica 4, Anaheim Canyon 1: Shay Kletke hit a home run and also pitched four innings.
Thousand Oaks 9, Granada Hills 4: Zoe Justman had three hits for Granada Hills.
Los Alamitos 6, Huntington Beach 5: A home run by Erin Denny on a 3-and-2 count in the top of the ninth inning broke a 5-5 tie and lifted the Griffins to victory.
Sun Valley Poly 11, Sylmar 9: The Parrots improved to 3-0 in the Valley Mission League with a huge win over preseason favorite Sylmar.
Etiwanda 2, Foothill 0: Four Etiwanda pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout. Foothill had recorded shutout wins in four of its last five games. James Milam had two doubles.
La Mirada 7, Aliso Niguel 1: Blake Barberena had two hits and two RBIs.
Santa Monica 8, Calabasas 4: Jaxson Ehlers went four for four to lead Santa Monica.
THE CANARY Islands are facing huge storms and rain this week, which has even meant snow in places like Tenerife and La Palma.
Here’s what you need to know if you have a holiday booked there.
Storm Therese has left the Canary Islands in turmoil as weather warnings have remained in place for several days.
More snow is expected in Tenerife after the mountains in the Teide National Park were blanketed in white on Thursday.
As a result, more than 40 flights have been cancelled this week across the Canaries.
Orange and yellow alerts are in place across the islands, warning of heavy rain, storms, flooding and high waves.
If you want to cancel your upcoming holiday to the Canary Islands, you will be left out of pocket.
This is because the UK government still deems it safe to travel to Spain, so airlines and tour operators are under no obligation to refund you.
It is only when travel is warned against that it is likely your holiday will be cancelled and refunded.
Bad weather does not affect this.
And the weather warnings are expected to be lifted by the end of the week – so won’t affect the Easter holidays.
Compensation doesn’t apply here either – weather is seen as “out of the airline’s control”.
This means they do not have to offer any compensation if your flight is delayed by the weather.
They do, however, have a duty of care towards you, which includes hotels if the flight is delayed overnight, as well as food and drink vouchers.
The airline must put you on an alternative flight if yours is cancelled as well.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states: “If your flight is cancelled, many airlines will provide vouchers for you to buy food and drink.
“If you require accommodation, they may book a hotel and arrange transportation for you.
“If you end up paying for things yourself, keep every receipt and do not spend more than is reasonable.”
If you accept a refund, their duty of care ends towards you and you will have to pay for your own hotels and return flight home.
Israeli air strikes target army camps in response to alleged attacks on the Druze community in Suwayda on Thursday.
Published On 20 Mar 202620 Mar 2026
Israel’s military has said it struck Syrian army camps overnight in response to what it claimed were attacks against the Druze community in the south of the country.
“This was in response to yesterday’s events, in which Druze civilians were attacked in the [Suwayda] area,” the Israeli military said in a post on Telegram on Friday.
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“The [Israeli military] will not allow harm to come to Druze in Syria and will continue to act for their protection.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor reported on Thursday that fighting broke out between government forces and fighters from local tribes against opposing Druze factions in the western countryside of Suwayda.
The fighting began after mortar shells fell on areas under the control of Druze factions.
The shelling later hit residential neighbourhoods in the city of Suwayda, sowing panic and fear among residents, the Syrian Observatory said.
Syria’s state-run SANA news agency did not acknowledge the fighting in Suwayda or the Israeli attack.
Violence first erupted in Suwayda on July 13 between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze groups.
Government forces were sent in to quell the fighting, but the bloodshed worsened, and Israel carried out strikes on Syrian troops and also bombed the heart of the capital, Damascus, under the pretext of protecting the Druze.
Israel had already pushed deeper into Syrian territory following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, occupying the buffer zone and saying the 1974 deal with Syria had collapsed.
The latest flare-up between the neighbouring countries comes as war roils the Middle East after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
In a speech delivered after the Eid al-Fitr prayers on Friday in Damascus, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said he is working to keep Syria out of any conflict.
“It is important to remember that Syria has always been an arena of conflict and strife during the past 15 years and before that, but today it is in harmony with all neighbouring countries regionally and internationally,” he said.
He added that Syria stood “in full solidarity with the Arab states”.
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Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
A U.S. Air Force F-35A fighter was forced to divert from a combat mission over Iran and make an emergency landing at an undisclosed U.S. airbase in the Middle East, the Pentagon has confirmed to TWZ. At this stage, details of the incident are very scarce, but there are meanwhile unconfirmed reports, and a video, suggesting that the jet was struck by Iranian fire. The video in question, if true, indicates a system was used that we have repeatedly highlighted as a top threat to allied aircraft, including stealthy ones, operating over Iran.
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command, told TWZ that the F-35 was “flying a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing.
“The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Hawkins added. “This incident is under investigation.”
The U.S. Air Force has deployed F-35As from multiple units in support of Operation Epic Fury, while carrier-capable F-35C versions from the U.S. Marine Corps have been operating from the supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Hawkins confirmed to us that a U.S. Air Force jet was involved.
The Israeli Air Force additionally operates a version of the jet, the F-35I Adir, which has also been used in combat against Iran.
According to a report from CNN, which cites two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, it is thought that the F-35 may have been hit by Iranian fire.
Hawkins declined to comment to TWZ about whether the aircraft was hit by hostile fire.
There have been reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released the video below, which claims to show the F-35 being hit over Iran, as seen through a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, but this cannot be independently verified.
Iran’s IRGC released a footage reportedly showing U.S. F-35 jet being hit over Iran.
Note that we can’t independently confirm the authenticity of the footage. pic.twitter.com/9N0ePd2LLf
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 19, 2026
As far as we know, there have been no previous confirmed incidents of U.S. aircraft having been struck by Iranian air defenses since the conflict began at the end of last month. Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were lost, but these fell to Kuwaiti friendly fire in an incident that remains puzzling. At the same time, some kind of friendly-fire incident cannot be ruled out on this occasion, too.
Meanwhile, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker that was taking part in Epic Fury crashed in Iraq, for reasons that remain unclear.
As we have discussed in our previous reporting, the skies of the Middle East are far from completely safe for U.S. and Israeli air operations.
An Israeli Air Force fighter was “almost shot down” over Iran, early on in the conflict, The Times of Israel has reported, citing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
According to the IDF, an attempt was made to shoot down the jet, and it was “close to being hit.”
The Israeli military further claims that the attempted shootdown “failed due to the alertness and professionalism of the pilot,” the military says, adding that the sortie “was completed successfully.”
For all the defense-suppression missions that have been flown, Iran still possesses road-mobile air defenses as well as more exotic types that can pop up virtually anywhere and give aircrews very little time to react. These systems can be easily hidden and will remain a threat on the battlefield long after static air defenses are destroyed. Beyond that, there are man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), which, while less of a menace in terms of outright performance and engagement envelopes, are impossible to entirely remove from the battlespace.
The reality is that, even for the F-35, there are risks, especially as the air campaign moves more toward direct attacks, bringing aircraft closer to potential threats. While the U.S. has claimed air supremacy over Iran, it certainly does not yet possess it across the entire country.
Declarations of air superiority are relative. Iran has road mobile air defenses that can hide and pop up out of nowhere. They have exotic stuff like loitering SAMs too. Moving fighters in for direct attacks doesn’t mean they can operate freely without threat, especially in some…
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 5, 2026
As we pointed out in our recent analysis:
Moving to a direct attack-focused campaign comes with new risks. This is especially true when it comes to facing road-mobile air defenses and more exotic types that can pop up virtually anywhere and give aircrews very little time to react. These systems can be hidden pretty much anywhere and will be present on the battlefield long after fixed air defenses are completely destroyed. Electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) surface-to-air missile systems are especially vexing, as U.S. fourth-generation fighter aircraft would have no idea they were being attacked until they are struck, unless they visibly see the missile launch and head their way. These aircraft lack missile approach warning systems. The F-22 and F-35 benefit from different versions of this capability. EO/IR SAM systems are also not affected by radiofrequency jamming, unless they use a radar for initial targeting.
Speaking today, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters: “We’re flying further to the east now and penetrating deeper into Iranian airspace to hunt and kill one-way attack drone garrisons, destroying Iran’s ability to project power outside of its borders.”
Flying further east in Iran brings more threats, compared to the more-sanitized airspace in the west.
Again, as we warned in the past:
Underestimating Iran’s ability to target and destroy coalition aircraft would be a perilous move. Even the improvised systems cobbled together by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, as well as their hodgepodge of other air defenses, have taken their toll on advanced fighter aircraft operated by Gulf Arab states and challenged even the most advanced fighters in the U.S. inventory. Iran’s capabilities, even in a deeply degraded state, far exceed those of the Houthis.
U.S.-operated F-35s have, at times, run the gauntlet against the relatively primitive air defense threat offered by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Iran.
Last year, a U.S. official told TWZ that one of the stealth fighters had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit by Houthi surface-to-air missiles. “They got close enough that the [F-35] had to maneuver,” the official said. Meanwhile, an Air Force F-16 pilot was awarded the Silver Star Medal after dodging multiple surface-to-air missiles during operations against the Houthi rebels.
In fact, as you can read about here, the particular nature of Houthi air defenses appears to have prompted an increase in the use of stealthy aircraft like the F-35, in turn, exposing them to unconventional threats. If the same thing may now have happened in Iran, it should hardly come as a surprise.
Provided that the published video of the claimed shootdown is the real deal, that would point to the real possibility that the jet was targeted by a passive sensor, the same kind we repeatedly warned about. The footage looks very similar to that showing Houthi air defense equipment of this kind in action. As we noted in our analysis posted earlier in this story, passive systems can give off no radio emissions, making them especially hazardous to aircrew.
🇾🇪🇺🇸 | The Houthis show footage from the shootdown of another U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper UCAV.
If I’m not mistaken, that would be the 20th MQ-9 downed by the Houthis from Yemen. pic.twitter.com/SCwRVLSs7s
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 18, 2025
It should be recalled that, at this point, we are still awaiting confirmation on exactly what led the F-35A to declare an emergency. TWZ continues to reach out to CENTCOM for more details about the incident.
We will continue to update this developing story.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
FOR the first time ever, renewing a British passport is set to cost more than £100.
That makes it one of the most expensive in the world – so if you want to avoid the rising costs, here’s how you can do it.
From April 8, 2026, the fee to renew a passport online for adults will rise from £94.50 to £102.
The standard fee for children will see a £5 increase, from £61.50 to £66.50.
Postal applications will go up from £107 to £115.50 for adults and £74 to £80 for kids.
The charge for a next-day premium service made from within the UK will rise from £222 to £239.50.
The Home Office said that the price increase is to “move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.”.
If you need to update your passport, but don’t want to pay the increased fees, there are a few ways to avoid them.
First of all, apply before April 8, 2026 so your renewal will cost the current rate of £94.50.
Second, don’t apply for a renewal by post as this will increase the fee by £13.50.
And if you’re trying to avoid high costs, apply with ample time and don’t opt for next-day premium service as this hikes up the price by over £100 compared to online renewal.
The Home Office say that the fees “contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.”
It also added that last year 99.7 per cent of applications last year that needed no further information were processed in under three weeks.
Those who still have a burgundy passport need to check the expiry date on their passports, as Brits are still being caught out.
You’ll need to have the passport renewed exactly six months before the expiry date to make sure you can still travel.
For example, if your passport was issued in June 2016, but your expiry date says September 2026, that expiry is incorrect.
Instead, your passport will expire 10 years past the start date – making the real expiry June 2026.
If travelling to the EU, your passport must be less than 10 years old.
It must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to return home.
For more on passport rules – here’s everything you need to know for travelling in 2026.
And check this new rule that was enforced in February 2026 affecting dual national citizens.
The TWZ Newsletter
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Air Force is now reportedly dropping its newest bunker-buster bomb, the 5,000-pound class GBU-72/B, on targets in Iran. The bombs are said to have been used in strikes on hardened Iranian anti-ship cruise missile sites along the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz overnight.
There are also reports that this is the first time GBU-72/Bs have been used in combat, but it is not clear if this is the case.
“Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote in a post on X, which did not name the munitions in question, last night. “The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait.”
Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the… pic.twitter.com/hgCSFH0cqO
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 17, 2026
“US official confirms this was the GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator,” CNN‘s Haley Britzky subsequently wrote on X. Fox News has also now reported the use of GBU-72/Bs in last night’s strikes.
Israel kills Iran’s intelligence chief, U.S. jets drop new 5,000 lb. bunker buster bombs on anti-ship missile storage sites, Iran fires 13 more ballistic missiles and 27 drones here at UAE: pic.twitter.com/eAYu5JMN7A
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 18, 2026
Whether or not the GBU-72/B has been employed in combat previously is unclear. In 2024, CBS News reported that the Air Force had employed the bombs in strikes on an underground facility belonging to Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, citing unnamed officials. Fox News also reported again just today that the A5K’s first use had come during previous strikes on the Houthis.
There have also been reports in the past that Israel has at least sought to acquire GBU-72/B, but whether any have been delivered to that country is unknown. It is also still not known what munitions were used in strikes that left three very large and precise holes on the top of a site long linked to Iran’s nuclear program last week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said they struck that facility, but that does not automatically mean that U.S. forces did not do so, as well.
When reached by TWZ, CENTCOM declined to comment on the specific munitions used in last night’s strikes along the Strait of Hormuz.
The GBU-72/B was developed to replace the older GBU-28/B, which first entered service in 1991. The GBU-28/B is another 5,000-pound class bunker buster, and it is unclear to what degree it remains in U.S. inventory.
What aircraft are currently cleared to employ the GBU-72/B operationally is also not clear. In 2021, the Air Force announced the successful release of an A5K from an F-15E Strike Eagle in testing. In 2024, pictures emerged of a B-1 bomber carrying one of the bombs on an external pylon under the forward fuselage in another apparent test. The Air Force has also raised the possibility of integrating the GBU-72/B onto the B-2 bomber in the past. F-15Es, B-1s, and B-2s are among the aircraft the U.S. military has been using to carry out strikes on targets in Iran.
In terms of the bomb itself, the A5K combines a BLU-138/B penetrating warhead with a tail kit containing a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance system. The tail kit is a variant of the one used on 2,000-pound class Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision guided bombs. Markings seen on live BLU-138/Bs in imagery the Air Force has previously released show that each warhead weighs around 4,422 pounds, with approximately 1,066.8 pounds of that being a combination of PBXN-109 and AFX-757 explosives. As an aside, those are the same two types of explosives used in the much larger 30,000-pound class BLU-127/B warhead for the GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb.
“With enhanced survivability, increased lethality, smart fuzing and utilization of fielded JDAM Navigation tailkits, the GBU-72 significantly improved performance reducing the number of weapons required to achieve a kill at lower AUR [all-up-round] cost,” according to Air Force budget documents. “A5K will replace the GBU-28.”
While the precise capabilities of the Air Force’s various bunker-busting munitions are a closely guarded secret, the original GBU-28/B bomb reportedly had the ability to penetrate through more than 150 feet of earth and at least 15 feet of reinforced concrete. In some cases, multiple bunker busters can also be dropped on the same aim point in succession to help burrow deeper down to the desired depth.
In addition, the GBU-72/B, like the GBU-28/B before it, offers a conventional bunker-buster capability that sits between bombs that use 2,000-pound class BLU-109/B warheads and the MOP. GBU-31/B JDAMs with BLU-109 warheads are already known to be in very active use in strikes on targets in Iran.
No shortages of GBU-31 2,000lb JDAM bunker busters at RAF Fairford. Some more pictures from yesterday. Many appeared to be loaded on or around B-52s from what I saw – with the B1-bs positioned further away from my viewing point. No idea what the Bones were loaded up with. All… pic.twitter.com/AAxlXwUZWc
— Chris Partridge (@Chris1603) March 18, 2026
With all this in mind, the GBU-72/B does offer the U.S. military a way to get after deeply buried or otherwise hardened targets in Iran (and anywhere else) that are beyond the reach of the BLU-109/B without having to use GBU-57/Bs. The MOP inventory is understood to be relatively small and largely reserved for use against very high-priority targets. Using GBU-72/Bs could also help ensure the destruction of a target, and do so with a smaller number of total munitions, compared to a strike employing 2,000-pound-class bunker busters.
Regardless of the munitions used, U.S. strikes targeting Iranian anti-ship cruise missile sites on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz speak to efforts now to reopen that critical waterway to regular maritime traffic. So far, we have not seen any clear evidence of Iran using its arsenal of thousands of anti-ship cruise missiles, which could turn the Strait into a super weapons engagement zone. Many of these missiles can also be launched from the backs of trucks that are hard to distinguish from civilian types.
Iranian aerial drone, missile, and uncrewed boat attacks, as well as the threat of naval mines, have already brought movement through the Strait to a virtual standstill. A small number of commercial vessels have continued making the transit, but very likely only with the approval of the regime in Tehran. This is already having massive negative impacts on global energy markets, as well as the overall economies of Gulf Arab States.
#Iran is permitting exit of the Gulf to select ships. But what is the rationale?
At least 5 vessels have transited outbound via the #StraitofHormuz in the past 48hrs but are taking an unusual route inside Iranian Territorial Waters.
All 5 vessels have transited the Larak Qeshm… pic.twitter.com/hOmfceYIju
— Martin Kelly (@_MartinKelly_) March 18, 2026
89 ships got through Hormuz March 1st-15th. “More than one-fifth of the 89 vessels were believed to be Iran-affiliated, while Chinese and Greece affiliated ships are among the rest, it said.” https://t.co/c7DzauV8ya
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) March 18, 2026
The U.S. military has been exploring options for escorting convoys of commercial ships through the Strait, but this would still come with significant risks, as TWZ has explored in the past. U.S. President Donald Trump had initially appealed to allies and partners for help, but said yesterday that no assistance was necessary after receiving public rebukes from several countries.
“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’ [sic],” Trump wrote today in a post on his Truth Social site. “That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!”
Trump: “I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’ That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!! President DJT” pic.twitter.com/pwbF1lYELS
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 18, 2026
A further uptick in strikes on Iranian targets along the Strait of Hormuz, including deeply buried and hardened sites that could necessitate the use of GBU-72/Bs, may now be on the horizon.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
Strong pitching, good hitting and solid hitting has led to a 9-0 start for the Sherman Oaks Notre Dame baseball team.
On Wednesday, Malakye Matsumoto threw two scoreless innings of relief and had three hits and four RBIs in Notre Dame’s 11-0 win over Chaminade. The Knights are 4-0 in Mission League play. Dru Wilson homered and had two RBIs. Troy Trejo added two RBIs.
Corona 8, King 3: Anthony Murphy hit for the cycle — home run, triple, double and single — in the Big VIII League win.
Norco 12, Corona Centennial 4: Dylan Seward had three hits and Zion Martinez added three hits and four RBIs.
Corona Santiago 9, Roosevelt 4: Striker Pence struck out eight and gave up no hits in four innings.
Sierra Canyon 14, Crespi 3: Bryaden Goldstein and Cody Gallegos each had two hits and three RBIs.
Loyola 11, St. Francis 0: Robert Rapp had three hits and five RBIs.
Harvard-Westlake 17, Bishop Alemany 0: Avenging its first loss in Mission League play Tuesday, the Wolverines received home runs from James Tronstein and Jake Kim. Ethan Alexander gave up one hit in 5 1/3 innings.
Carson 3, San Pedro 1: Sal Carrillo picked up the save in the Marine League.
Banning 4, Narbonne 3: Santiago Meza had the game-winning single in the ninth and AJ Herrera threw all nine innings for Banning.
El Camino Real 5, Taft 0: Jackson Sellz struck out 10 and RJ De La Rosa had two hits and three RBIs.
Cleveland 10, Granada Hills 4: Joshua Pearlstein and Elliot Schoenwald each had three hits for Cleveland.
Birmingham 9, Chatsworth 3: Julius Monroe-Truitt broke through for three hits in the West Valley League win.
Bell 12, Huntington Park 0: Vincent Rubio led Bell with three hits and four RBIs in a five-inning win. Jayden Rojas struck out six in three innings.
Garfield 6, Roosevelt 1: Mayo Robles went three for three to lead the Bulldogs.
St. John Bosco 5, JSerra 1: Jhett Ohira hit a two-run home run and Jack Champlin continued perfection as a closer for the Braves.
Orange Lutheran 8, Damien 5: Gavin Hottie hit two home runs for Orange Lutheran.
Santa Margarita 15, Brother Rice 3: Freshman Cooper Holland continued his impressive hitting in Las Vegas
Los Alamitos 7, Edison 6: Rowan Shelley had two hits and four RBIs in the eight-inning victory.
Fountain Valley 7, Capistrano Valley 2: Ethan Cortez had two hits and two RBIs for Fountain Valley.
Huntington Beach 5, Marina 3: Tanner Brown homered and Christian Haupt threw four innings of scoreless relief for Huntington Beach.
Newport Harbor 4, Corona del Mar 2: Henry Mann’s two-run triple in the fifth broke a 2-2 tie.
Palos Verdes 7, Torrance 3: Charles Hoye finished with three hits for Palos Verdes.
Ayala 7, Northview 1: Jaden Valenzuela and Caleb Trugman each had three hits for Ayala.
MIAMI — The victors erupted onto the field and into multiple dogpiles. Some wore national flags around their shoulders. Within minutes, the Venezuelans wore T-shirts that read: “The Best Baseball in the World.”
The players from the United States watched from their dugout. Within minutes, they trudged back onto the field so a silver medal could be draped around their necks. Not every player wore the medal all the way back to the dugout.
You can say all you want about how the World Baseball Classic has matured into a must-see event for fans and a must-play event for the game’s elite players. You can salute Venezuela for a spirited and thrilling victory, and the Venezuelan fans for nine innings of joyful delirium.
But you also can say this: A U.S. team billed as featuring a killer lineup could not hit, and the U.S. could not use its best pitcher because the San Diego Padres said so. The result: For the second consecutive World Baseball Classic, the U.S. lost the championship by a 3-2 score.
U.S. captain Aaron Judge looks across the field after striking out against Velezuela at the World Baseball Classic Tuesday.
(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
“I’m not OK with winning silver,” Bryce Harper said. “I don’t want to win silver.
“I want to win gold, just like anybody else. But, at the end of the night, they did it, they won, all the congratulations to them. They fought hard. I’ve got nothing but respect for them.”
By the time the eighth inning rolled around, the mighty U.S. offense had not gotten a runner into scoring position on Tuesday, and had gone scoreless for 18 of its previous 19 innings. With two out in the eighth, and Venezuela up 2-0, Bobby Witt Jr. walked, and Harper followed with a 432-foot home run, so monstrous that Venezuelan pitcher Andres Machado could only watch the flight of the ball and smile.
Harper stood and watched too, then he flipped his bat toward the dugout. At third base, he stopped to give a salute, then spotted the cameraman trailing him around the bases and pointed to the American flag on his left sleeve.
“Just enjoying the moment,” Harper said. “Super grateful for it.”
With the game tied 2-2 entering the ninth, the pitcher trotting in from the U.S. bullpen should have been Mason Miller, who had not given up a hit in the WBC and struck out 10 of the 14 batters he had faced.
Before the game, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa had said Miller would be available. After the game, DeRosa said he and Miller’s employers, the Padres, had agreed Miller would only be used to protect a lead.
Once the game entered the ninth, Miller would not be able to protect a lead, since the U.S. was the home team and there could be no save situation for him. DeRosa nonetheless declined to use Miller.
“Honoring the Padres,” DeRosa said.
This is not on DeRosa, but that is nonsense. If a closer cannot be used three times in five days — with another week to ease into the regular season by throwing bullpens or in structured B games, or taking a few days off, or whatever — then he should stay home.
Venezuela scored the winning run in the ninth off Garrett Whitlock, on a walk, stolen base and RBI double by Eugenio Suárez.
In its final five WBC games — after routs of Brazil and Britain — the U.S. scored more than five runs once, with a two-run win, a two-run loss, a two-run win, a one-run win, and a one-run loss. In the semifinal and final, the U.S. combined to bat .159 and strike out 25 times, and every run came on a home run.
That — not any attempt at small ball — is American baseball. And the U.S. was outslugged by six other teams, including Australia and Italy. For glory, as the U.S. team hoodies said.
“A lot of pop ups, a lot of just-missed pitches,” U.S. captain Aaron Judge said. “I wouldn’t say we tensed up. We just didn’t execute when we needed to.”
Said DeRosa: “I mean, surprised because of the names at the back of the jersey, but not surprised because of where they’re at in spring training.
“Yeah, that’s my answer. I really don’t have a rhyme or reason to why. I just think you’re either hot or not in a seven-game blast like this.”
American Bryce Harper celebrates at home plate with teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the World Baseball Classic Tuesday in Miami.
(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
The WBC absolutely was a blast. The Venezuelan fans delivered concert-level noise all night long, without needing a silly stadium host or scoreboard command to do so. The WBC allowed fans to bring in 16 “permissible instruments,” including bongos, cowbells, maracas and trumpets.
“There’s bands playing,” Judge said. “There’s chants going on. You don’t usually hear that too much in the World Series games. That’s amazing. So much fun.”
More Americans watched the U.S.-Dominican Republic semifinal than watched last year’s NBA All-Star Game, according to Fox. The championship game almost certainly will have drawn more viewers than at least one game of last year’s NBA Finals.
In the 10 minutes I spent along the concourse before Tuesday’s game, I counted fans wearing the jerseys of many national teams and 17 MLB teams, plus the late and greatly beloved Montreal Expos. Japan did not qualify for the final four, but I nonetheless counted 11 fans in Japan jerseys with Shohei Ohtani’s name on the back. The advertisers believed too: DeRosa spoke in front of a banner displaying the logo of nine corporate sponsors, eight of them Japanese.
After such a lively event, can these players get fired up to go back to spring training, and then for the grind of a 162-game season?
“I’m always fired up for the Yankees, but I’m still pissed about this,” Judge said.
“I’m looking forward to the next time we get a chance to throw on the red, white and blue and take care of business.”
That would be the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where Dave Roberts has expressed interest in managing Team USA at Dodger Stadium. The major leaguers are almost certainly coming, even if the details are still being worked out.
See you there, Bryce Harper?
“I hope so,” he said. “I really do.”
Umar Muhammad Mustapha had just stepped out of the mosque when he heard someone say an explosion had gone off in the Maiduguri Monday Market area on the evening of March 16. He panicked and asked when. “Just a moment ago,” someone replied, “while we were praying.”
Immediately, Umar began dialling his nephew’s number as he rushed toward the scene without first returning home. “The phone kept ringing, but he did not answer. A few moments later, it prompted ‘switched off’,” he recalled.
That was when the panic deepened.
“I began dialling those whose shops were close to ours.”
Umar sells gabgab at the market. His nephew, Muhammad Ibrahim, makes the local incense while he sells it. The 27-year-old has been with Umar since he was nine.
As he moved through the city that Monday evening, his thoughts raced ahead of him. “I began to imagine the condition in which I would meet him,” Umar said. “Is he alright? Is he alive? Is he dead? Is he injured? And how bad his injuries might be.”
They both work at the market, but that day, Umar stayed at home.
That night, at around 7 p.m., three explosions simultaneously rocked parts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital in northeastern Nigeria, including the Monday Market, the Post Office area along Ahmadu Bello Way, and the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
As he hailed a tricycle to rush to the market, Umar was restless. “I felt as though the keke was not going fast enough and kept urging the driver to go faster,” he said.
Before he reached the market, Umar’s phone rang, and Muhammad’s name was displayed. But when he answered, a different voice spoke. “Come to the emergency ward of General [State Specialist Hospital],” the person said.
In that moment, uncertainty gave way to reality. “An explosion occurred; he was affected,” the person continued. “He was brought to the hospital. You are the last person he talked to, so we are reaching out.”
The blasts at the market and the Post Office were especially devastating. The two locations sit minutes apart. Traders had closed for the day and were heading home when the first explosion tore through the Elkanemi junction, near the market.
In the immediate aftermath of the first blast, many people scattered and ran towards the Post Office area. Muhammad was among them. At the time Umar was trying to reach him, he had already escaped the market blast. In the confusion, he could not hear his phone. As he ran towards the Post Office area, another explosion went off.
It caught him, and he sustained injuries to his chest and legs.
When HumAngle visited the hospital on Tuesday, March 17, Muhammad could not speak, only nodding when spoken to. Umar said he was scheduled for surgery later in the evening.
Other survivors also carry similar stories.
Mohammed Babagana Bukar had just bought a pair of shoes for Eid al-Fitr, which is in a few days, with money he earned as a porter at the market. When the blast happened, the 15-year-old said, “We panicked and began running towards the Post Office when another one went off, close to where the flyover is being constructed.”
He was brought to the hospital by a stranger. “He carried me as I could not walk.”
Fantami Modu didn’t escape the first blast that rocked the market; he was injured.
“It affected my leg,” the 40-year-old said. “We were brought to the hospital by the police.” Fantami sells clothing materials and earns about ₦7,000 daily. It is what he uses to feed his family.
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Now, he cannot work. Beside him, his brother, Babagana, said they are contributing to support the household until he recovers.
According to the Borno State Police Command, 23 people were killed, and 108 were injured in the multiple bomb blasts. No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Nigerian Army said they were “carried out by suspected Boko Haram terrorist suicide bombers”.
“Preliminary information further indicates that the terrorists may have deployed multiple suicide bombers into Maiduguri with the intention of carrying out coordinated suicide bombings at crowded locations,” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai, said in a statement.
At the State Specialist Hospital, where victims were first rushed to, HumAngle counted 13 survivors on admission. The hospital is less than two kilometres from the scenes. Of these 13, 11 were males and two females, with varying degrees of injuries to the arm, leg, and chest.
Nurses at the hospital said at least 40 people were brought to the emergency ward that night, with many later referred to the UMTH. Only 14 survivors were eventually admitted, but one died on arrival.
UMTH was also targeted that night. An explosion that went off at the hospital’s entrance. Although no civilian casualties were recorded, sources said that a suspected suicide bomber, who tried to enter the hospital on a bicycle before he was stopped by security operatives, died in the incident.
For some residents, the events revived familiar anxieties.
“We had just broken our fast and were waiting for a tricycle to return home when we heard the explosion close to the Monday Market,” Sulaiman Muhammad, a resident, recounted. “Less than 20 minutes after, we heard another one from the Post Office area. In panic, we scattered.”
He did not go to the scene. “It is dangerous,” he said. “I remember in one explosion like this inside the market at the peak of the [Boko Haram] insurgency, another explosion went off immediately people gathered to help victims.”
Now, those memories are resurfacing. “People are in panic,” he said. “We had begun to experience relative calm until the past few days.”
Sulaiman has sold shoes at the market for more than 20 years. He believes the attacks will affect business. “As you can see, no one is out [to sell],” he said.
These incidents are part of a broader pattern of escalating violence.
The explosions came barely 24 hours after terrorists attacked a military base in Kofa, a community close to Ajilari on the outskirts of Maiduguri, on March 16. Joint security operatives repelled the attack, leaving many terrorists dead.
However, before then, there had been attacks by terror groups across Borno State, including assaults on rural military bases and resettled communities like Ngoshe and Dalwa. Also, on Dec. 25, 2025, a suicide bomber detonated at a mosque in the Gamboru Market area of Maiduguri. Five people were killed, and 35 others were injured.
Taken together, these incidents point to what observers describe as a violent resurgence. HumAngle has reported that the terror groups operating in the region have undergone several technological shifts that have aided their expanded attacks and operations, including the use of artificial intelligence and drones.
For Umar, the incident has narrowed into something smaller, more personal.
Muhammad, he said, loves to read.
“He would read verses from the Qur’an after his morning prayer. And after breakfast, he would head to the market. And by evening, he would return home. He would read in the evening too, before going to bed.”
When asked what he hopes for, Umar paused.
“I would have hoped for more security or for more vigilance,” he said. “But what would an empty hope solve? Authorities know what to do. They would act properly if they intend to.”
No. 1-ranked St. John Bosco began Trinity League baseball play on Tuesday the same way it has done early in the season — with more good pitching.
Julian Garcia struck out seven, walked one and gave up three hits in five innings of a 6-0 win over JSerra. It was the fourth shutout in five games this season for the Braves (5-0). Jhett Ohira had three hits and Jaden Jackson and Noah Everly added two hits apiece.
Bishop Alemany 6, Harvard-Westlake 5: The Warriors handed Harvard-Westlake its first Mission League loss. Alex Noble had two hits for Alemany (8-2, 3-0).
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 13, Chaminade 2: Unbeaten Notre Dame (7-0) was led by Benett Pace, who hit two home runs and finished with four RBIs. Jacob Madrid added two hits and two RBIs. Beckett Berg struck out six and gave up one hit in five innings.
St. Francis 6, Loyola 2: Lucas Becerra contributed three hits in the Mission League win. Donovan Udell threw two scoreless innings of relief.
Sierra Canyon 3, Crespi 1: Armando Solorio threw a complete game with six strikeouts and no walks.
Florida Stoneman Douglas 7, Santa Margarita 6: The Eagles couldn’t hold on after opening a 6-1 lead. Warren Gravely III had a home run.
Servite 6, Aliso Niguel 2: The Friars received scoreless innings of relief from Wyatt Karges, Eli Rubel and Isaiah Camacho.
Los Alamitos 5, Edison 3: Will McCullough had three hits for Los Alamitos.
Arcadia 18, Hoover 2: Matt Manzo had four RBIs and Jordan Vogel had three hits.
La Mirada 4, Etiwanda 2: Ian Nunez had a three-run home run for La Mirada.
Huntington Beach 6, Marina 1: Jared Grindlinger struck out four with no walks in four innings. Ely Mason had a double and single.
Cypress 5, Villa Park 3: Tate Belfanti struck out eight in 3 2/3 innings for Cypress.
Newport Harbor 5, Corona del Mar 1: Ryan Williams homered and Gavin Guy picked up the win.
Murrieta Mesa 12, Temecula Valley 0: Macy Clark hit two home runs in the five-inning win for No. 1-ranked Murrieta Mesa.
JSerra 8, Aliso Niguel 2: Zena Edwards hit a two-run home run and Margenta De Arte had a two-run double for JSerra.
Garden Grove Pacifica 6, Eastvale Roosevelt 5: The Mariners got a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh from Jenna Valladares.
Harvard-Westlake 11, Louisville 7: Izzy Whelan drove in three runs in the loss.
Downey 21, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 6: The Vikings (10-2) routed Notre Dame behind Hazel Renteria. Delilah Navarro and Kayla Gutierrez each had four hits.
